Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy makes a behind-the-back save on a shot by the Kings’ Anze Kopitar, not pictured, as Dustin Brown waits for a possible rebound during the first period of Saturday’s game in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

General managers are on the clock these days. Those who are presiding over real contenders are expected to bring in a difference-maker who is going to improve their chances at making a Stanley Cup run. Perhaps even be the final piece for a champion.

Those overseeing teams whose players have already booked tee times at their favorite golf courses are expected to sell off a veteran in exchange for a hot prospect (or two) who is on the verge of breaking through and a first-round draft pick to select the franchise’s next future star.

Less than two weeks remain until the NHL trade deadline and this is an important time for executives across the league. Truth be told, those cell phones have been humming for a while. This isn’t the only time of the year when GMs are talking with their brethren.

But with so many teams still on the playoff bubble – including the Ducks and Kings – it will be interesting to see which teams do what or which teams don’t do anything. Bob Murray and Rob Blake, you’re on the clock. (Records in parentheses are as of Monday’s games):

1. Lightning (38-15-3): On another fine run, this one 7-3-0. I don’t know how Andrei Vasilevskiy made that save on the Kings’ Anze Kopitar but if that clinches the Vezina Trophy for him, I’m fine with that.(1)

2. Bruins (34-12-8): Two years ago, Anton Khudobin was buried on the Ducks’ AHL team. Boston agrees with him. Second tour has been great with a 12-3-4 record and 2.32 goals-against average. (4)

3. Predators (33-12-9): Just one regulation loss in their past 15 games. More important, they’ve got 10 wins over that span to keep pace in a terrific race for the Central Division title. (3)

5. Jets (32-15-9): What team has a 10-game homestand these days? Winnipeg does. Even great ones can’t pull off that type of sweep in their own building and they’re 3-2-1 after two regulation losses. (5)

6. Blues (34-21-3): You want to believe there’s a Cup run in them. There is beating Colorado and Winnipeg handily and losses to Pittsburgh and Boston where they’re still a notch below the best. (6)

7. Maple Leafs (34-19-5): Auston Matthews gets a lot of the pub, as he should, but William Nylander, who scored twice Monday, is looking squarely at a second straight 60-point season. (10)

8. Stars (33-20-4): A 6-0 home loss to Vancouver took some of the shine off a five-game win streak that’s got them in control of the first wild-card spot in the West. (9)

9. Capitals (32-17-6): Get ready to cash in, John Carlson. One of the NHL’s top scoring defensemen is in his UFA year and could match his career highs of 12 goals and 55 points, set in 2014-15. (8)

10. Sharks (30-18-8): There is some mettle within this Joe Thornton-less group. Exhibit A was Sunday’s third-period comeback against the rested Ducks after beating Edmonton the night before. (7)

11. Kings (30-20-5): Tyler Toffoli has no goals in 13 games. Tanner Pearson has two goals in 14. Where are you, Jeff Carter? (Answer: Still recovering from a cut ankle tendon). (12)

12. Wild (30-19-6): Devan Dubnyk got his fourth shutout of the season in blanking Chicago. He’s got 19 of his 28 career shutouts since resurrecting himself in Minnesota. (13)

13. Penguins (31-22-4): There’s no way GM Jim Rutherford is going to sit this deadline out, with his team on an 11-3-1 surge and now in position to take a run at a rare three-peat. (14)

14. Avalanche (30-21-4): Four of their next five are against teams headed for the golf course after the season. Time to pick up some points and get back into playoff position. (11)

15. Flyers (28-19-9): Philly can stand to improve its bottom six at the deadline but Claude Giroux (18 goals, 46 assists) and Jakub Voracek (NHL-best 53 assists) continue to drive these guys. (19)

16. Flames (29-19-8): Six-game trip ends with stops at two of the NHL’s best in Boston and Nashville. Grimy forward Matthew Tkachuk reaches 20 goals in his second season. (18)

17. Ducks (27-19-11): Their capacity to self-destruct has never been more apparent. They need to show GM Bob Murray they’ve got the goods for him to add at the trade deadline. (17)

18. Blue Jackets (28-23-4): Team-wide offensive slump is finally snapped in a big win over New Jersey as six different players lit the lamp. They can ill afford another five-game losing streak. (16)

19. Hurricanes (26-21-9): As the Blue Jackets, Islanders and Rangers have faded around them, Carolina has quietly moved into a wild-card spot. Everything hockey is quietly done in Raleigh. (22)

20. Devils (27-20-8): Cory Schneider’s groin and hip issues are coming at a horrible time for sliding New Jersey. Keith Kinkaid is a nice backup but asking him to steal games is a tall task. (15)

21. Islanders (27-24-6): Jaroslav Halak seems to be their man in net going forward. But unless the prices were astronomical, why hasn’t GM Garth Snow got an upgrade with the playoffs on the line? (20)

22. Rangers (27-24-5): Got to hand it to the Blueshirts, who not only recognized they were on a continual slide but made public their intention to be deadline sellers. (23)

23. Panthers (24-23-6): Vincent Trocheck is a heck of a player. Hat trick Monday in Edmonton clinched his third straight 20-goal, 50-point season – with 29 games still left. (24)

24. Red Wings (22-23-9): Rebuilding process that should have started two years earlier is at least underway. But they’re not bad enough to land defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, the expected No. 1 pick. (25)

25. Canadiens (22-26-7): Brendan Gallagher on Saturday’s battle with former teammate P.K. Subban: “He comes in here and tries to make it about himself.” Hope trading the Norris Trophy candidate was worth it. (26)

27. Senators (19-26-9): Conventional wisdom says you might look at the bounty Erik Karlsson can bring in a trade but you only do it if you can’t re-sign him. Norris Trophy-winning defensemen don’t grow on trees. (29)

28. Oilers (23-28-4): Connor McDavid is now in position to run down Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov for his second straight scoring title. Watching his nightly brilliance is what’s left for Edmonton fans this spring. (27)

29. Canucks (22-28-6): Well-traveled Thomas Vanek isn’t going to help a team’s defensive game but 16 goals can aid a contender that needs a scorer and could fetch Vancouver a decent return. (28)

30. Sabres (16-30-10): Evander Kane snapped a 14-game goal drought Saturday in Boston but seems to be biding time until he gets moved. (30)

31. Coyotes (14-32-10): Clayton Keller seems to have found his second wind. The rookie slowed after a terrific start, but four points in his last three games could set up a strong finish. (31)

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